Category: Dieting

Health Benefits of Carob

8/19/2015

Carob is more than just a substitute for chocolate. It's use for health benefits goes back 4,000 years. There is even mention of carob in the Bible as “St. John’s bread” or “locust bean.”

Carob is an evergreen flowering shrub, belonging to the pea family and native to the Mediterranean region. The carob shrub produces dark brown pods filled with brown pulp and tiny seeds. Today, the pods are dried and ground into powder, processed and turned into carob gum.

Health Benefits
Aids With Digestive Disorders - including diarrhea, heartburn, and the intestine’s inability to properly absorb certain nutrients from food. These absorption disorders include celiac disease.

Reduces High Cholesterol - Carob fiber has been shown to be highly effective against high cholesterol. Studies have shown that people given carob fiber significantly reduce the presence of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol). Reducing the dangerous form of cholesterol can reduce the chances of various cardiovascular diseases, including high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, heart attacks, and strokes.

Encourages Weight Loss - Carob is a nondairy alternative to chocolate, for those with lactose intolerance or milk allergies. It's lower in fat, calories and caffeine than chocolate. The fiber found in carob is somewhat special, in that it inhibits the secretion of postprandial ghrelin, a hormone that tells the body that it's hungry. This means that carob can reduce the chances of over eating, and therefore aid in weight loss.

Has Many Important Nutrients -
Vitamin E content in carob helps in treating cough, flu, and anemia
Phosphorus and Calcium help fight against osteoporosis.
Regular use of carob helps in preventing lung cancer.

Sources:
-Web MD
-Sfgate Healthy Eating - The Many Health Benefits of Carob to the Human Body, by Maia Appleby
-Organic Facts - Health Benefits of Carob

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Method of Cooking Rice Which Cuts Calories

4/6/2015

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Rice is not a grain we eat very often because of it's glycemic index but after learning this tip we may start eating it more often. This new cooking technique was developed by Sri Lankan scientists, in an effort to curb world wide obesity.

Rice is made up of both digestible and resistant starch. Our digestive systems don’t have the enzymes in our small intestines to digest resistant starch. The more resistant starch a food has, the fewer calories our bodies will absorb.

Testing was done on 38 different kinds of rice. The best rice was the non-fortified white rice. This method of cooking would reduce the calories of the rice by about 50-60 percent.

Recipe:
Cook the rice: drop a teaspoon of coconut oil into 1 cup boiling water, then add half a cup of non-fortified white rice and cook it for about 40 minutes. After cooking, stick it in the fridge for 12 hours. The recipe for rice is twice the amount of liquid to rice, so adjust your amount as needed.

There are other benefits to having more resistant starch besides cutting calories. It’ll also feed your good bacteria. The resistant starch is a very good food source, for the bacteria inside the your gut.

Best of all, the researchers found that reheating the rice didn’t change the levels of resistant starch, so the increased resistant starch is permanent.

Sources:
Global News
Times

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Secret Ingredient

2/2/2015

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We are always watching what we eat but this simple ingredient my change the way you cook. I'm talking about the lowly bean, yes I said "bean".

Health Benefits
1. Lower Risk of Heart Disease
Studies have shown that people who eat more legumes have a lower risk of heart disease. The phytochemicals found in beans might be partially to thank, since they protect against it.
2. Fight Cancer
Beans contain a wide range of cancer-fighting plant chemicals, specifically, isoflavones and phytosterols which are associated with reduced cancer risk.
3. Beans Can Lower Cholesterol
Beans provide the body with soluble fiber, which plays an important role in controlling blood cholesterol levels. Studies find that about 10 grams of soluble fiber a day—the amount in 1/2 to 1 1/2 cups of navy beans—reduces LDL cholesterol by about 10 percent. Beans also contain saponins and phytosterols, which help lower cholesterol.
4. Bean May Help You Loose Weight
A serving of beans will help you feel full more quickly, because the rich fiber content fills your stomach and causes a slower rise in blood sugar. That should stave off hunger longer and give you a steady supply of energy.
5. Beans Can Help Manage Diabetes
Beans are a diabetes sufferer's super-food! The balance of complex carbohydrates and protein provides a slow, steady source of glucose instead of the sudden surge that can occur after eating simple carbohydrates.

Now I'm not just suggesting you eat more beans, which come to think of it is a good idea, but you can add beans to many recipes that your family will never know they are there. The addition will leave you feeling more satisfied when eating the dish and stick with you longer after the meal.

I have 3 great places we always add beans:
One is in Lasagna, now I know it doesn't sound that appetizing but, believe me it's actually better. ...Recipe.

The second dish I love to add beans to is brownies, they are decadently chocolate and delicious. With the added fiber you won't be tempted to eat the whole pan in one sitting, always good when you are watching your weight. ...Recipe.

The third place is in a cream filling that I make using ricotta cheese and beans. This filling is perfect for stuffed French Toast, Crapes for dessert, it's even good enough to ice a cake. ...Recipe.

Now I'm sure you can come up with some other places that you can sneak in beans. Your family will never know and you will be thinner for it.

Enjoy!
Tamara

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Resistant Starch

2/2/2015

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I was reading an article and the phase "resistant starch" jumped out at me. The article talked about resistant starch being a new way to control your calories when eating. Since I had never heard of resistant starch I needed to do some research on the subject. I would like to share what I have found. Most starches are digested and absorbed as glucose (sugar) through the small intestine. There are some types of starches that resist digestion and pass through to the large intestine, where they act like dietary fiber. This type of starch is called "resistant starch". We all know when we eat whole grains or beans there's lots of fiber and that fiber is what makes you feel full. Instead of telling folks to eat more fiber to loose weight they have developed a product that contains fiber that will give you the same effect. This new product is called Hi-maize Resistant Starch.

What foods have resistant starch?
Beans are the very best food source. Although the types of beans and preparation methods cause varying amounts of resistant starch (canned beans are more glycemic), in general, the starch in beans is about evenly divided between slowly-digested starch and resistant starch.

Whole, intact grains are decent sources of resistant starch. The starch in pearl barley is about 12% resistant and 43% slowly-digesting. Bulgar wheat and long grain brown rice are similar.

So what is Hi-maize Resistant Starch?
Hi-maize is a natural ingredient made from a specific type of corn which is rich in resistant starch. It's naturally white in color and can be finely ground so it's easily incorporated into foods such as bread, biscuits, cereals and pasta by partly replacing ordinary flour. This trade marked product is developed from a special hybrid of corn that is naturally high in amylose. It was developed through a natural plant breeding program over the past thirty years. The corn is grown by American farmers in the central US. After harvesting, the starch is pulled out of the corn kernel through a wet milling process. It's treated with mild heat and moisture and dried to a fine, white cornstarch powder.

Health Benefits of Resistant Starch

Resistant starch is protective of colon cells and associated with less genetic damage (which can lead to cancer).
Resistant starch is associated with more mineral absorption, especially calcium and magnesium.
Resistant starch seems to improve insulin sensitivity with improved glucose tolerance the next day.
Resistant starch leaves you feeling satisfied after eating your meal.
Resistant starch consumption is associated with lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Promotes "good" bacteria, and controls the "bad" bacteria and their toxic products.
Promotes bowel regularity.
Resistant starch in a meal is associated with less fat storage after that meal.

Resistant starch is a good thing, I'm just not sold on getting it thru a man made product, when it's available in many foods that are good for you. You are going to see this product used for weight control, specifically on products that you would not consider diet products. I did not find any negative information on this product. My concern is instead of learning to eat a proper diet to loose weight this product can be added to for example chocolate cake and then sold as diet food. Changing your diet is important if you are going to loose weight, it's a lifestyle change that takes work and does not happen overnight. Simply adding fiber to the product in my opinion does not make it good for you.

References:

Brighenti, Furio et al. "Colonic fermentation of indigestible carbohydrates contributes to the second-meal effect." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 83.4 (2006): 817-822.
Cummings, JH. "The Large Intestine in Nutrition and Disease: (monograph), December 1996, ISBN 2-930151-02-1
Englyst, Klaus and Englyst, Hans. "Carbohydrate Bioavailability." British Journal of Nutrition 94 (2005): 1-11.
Englyst, Klaus, et al. "Glycaemic index of cereal products explained by their content of rapidly and slowly available glucose." British Journal of Nutrition. 89 (2003):329-339
Higgins, Janine. "Resistant Starch: Metabolic Effects and Potential Health Benefits." Journal of AOAC International 87 (2004):761-8.
Higgins, Janine, et al. "Resistant starch consumption promotes lipid oxidation." Nutrition and Metabolism 1.8 (2004): 1743-7075.
Robertson, M.D. et al. "Prior Short-Term Consumption of Resistant Starch Enhances Postprandial Insulin Sensitivity in Healthy Subjects." Diabetologia 46 (2003): 659-665.

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Ways to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

2/2/2015

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This is the time of year when food temptation is all around us, at work, those holiday parties, and extra nights out with friends. It's hard to not gain weight over the winter months. The problem is if you gain weight more than likely it's going to stay with you the rest of the year, an extra pound or so adds up over the years.

But you don't have to fall into this trap. It's possible to enjoy holiday goodies without putting on a single pound. "Portion control is the key," says Susan Finn, PhD, RD. Finn serves as chairwoman of the American Council for Fitness and Nutrition. "I don't believe you can't eat food that you like -- even indulgences -- but it is the amount you eat."

Web MD compiled these tips to help you avoid overindulging.

1. Never Arrive Hungry
Don't go to a party when you're starving, try to have a nutritious snack before hand. If you do arrive hungry, drink some water to fill up before filling your plate.

2. Divert Your Attention
Don't look at the party as just a food event, enjoy your friends company or dancing. Focus on something other than food.

3. Pace Yourself
Take your time and look over your food selection, then eat slowly, Chewing slowly will fill you up with less food.
Another good trick is putting your fork down between every bite, this will slow your eating down.

4. Count Your Appetizers
When there are appetizers or finger food, it's easy to lose count of how many you eat. Keep track by stashing a toothpick in your pocket for each one. Set a limit and stick to it.

5. Outsmart the Buffet
When dinner is served buffet-style, use the smallest plate available and don't stack your food; limit your helpings to a single story. Go for the simplest foods on the buffet, fresh fruits and vegetables and shrimp cocktail are good choices. Watch out for sauces and dips.

6. Limit Alcohol
Avoid drinking too much alcohol at holiday parties. It's not just about calories but about control, if you drink a lot, you won't have as much control over what you eat. If you feel out of place without a drink, try sipping water or club soda, just so you have something to carry around.

7. Be Choosy
When it comes to dessert, be very selective. Limit your indulgences to small portions and only what is very appealing to you., if it's going to have calories, it has to be in my opinion CHOCOLATE.

8. Bring Your Own Treats
Whether you're going to a friend's party or an office potluck, consider bringing a low-calorie treat that you know you'll enjoy. Bringing your own dessert will make the more fattening alternatives less tempting.

9. Limit 'Tastes' While Cooking
If you do a lot of cooking during the holidays, crack down on all those "tastes". Instead of tasting mindlessly every few minutes, limit yourself to two small bites of each item pre- and post-seasoning.

10. Walk It Off
Make a new holiday tradition: the family walk. Besides burning some extra calories, this will get everyone away from the food for awhile. This was a tradition in our family growing up, after the Thanksgiving dinner we all put on our walking shoes and waked around the block, it gets you off the couch and gets the body moving.

Based on the article
By Susan G. Rabin, MA
Web MD

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Health Benefits of Carob

Method of Cooking Rice Which Cuts Calories

Secret Ingredient

Resistant Starch

Ways to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

Health &
Nutrition

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Health Benefits of Carob

Method of Cooking Rice Which Cuts Calories

Secret Ingredient

Resistant Starch

Ways to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

Health & Nutrition

Archives

Categories

Health &
Nutrition